


Musicals

by teriyaki_babe



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Character Study, Cute Zen | Ryu Hyun, F/M, Fluff, I Love You, I Love Zen | Ryu Hyun, I have to use it for something, I'm showing my 10+ years of piano lessons here guys, M/M, Reader-Insert, Spoilers, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Zen | Ryu Hyun's Route, reader - Freeform, too many music references
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-23
Updated: 2019-07-23
Packaged: 2020-07-11 23:24:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19936243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teriyaki_babe/pseuds/teriyaki_babe
Summary: Music was always a simple fact of existence in Hyun’s house. He always had a song playing, whether it was a soundtrack to a musical he was learning, his own voice practicing, or his piano. Yes, music was always a part of Hyun Ryu’s life. But it became even more prominent when MC waltzed into his world.Gender-neutral and unnamed MC, but mildly based on me (it's a reader insert what can you say)First published work, small character study and prose of the events of Zen's route, so spoilers for his route, like literally part is ripped word for word from day 10





	Musicals

Music was always a simple fact of existence in Hyun’s house. He always had a song playing, whether it was a soundtrack to a musical he was learning, his own voice practicing, or his piano. 

He didn't have room in his apartment for the large grand piano of his dreams. This one was quite small. It was still a full-sized keyboard, but the top was shorter than normal. It was out of tune and had a melancholic tone by default, but he loved it. If he had time to spare, he could spend hours in front of it. Sometimes he would even try to compose his own music, but would more often than not throw it away by the end of his session. 

Yes, music was always a part of Hyun Ryu’s life. But it became even more prominent when MC waltzed into his world. 

* * *

When he opened the door to see them for the first time, strings went off in his mind. A large concert orchestra welcomed their arrival, swelling as the doorknob turned and ending with a bang, a large timpani being a hit. A gong was hit, trombones played the last ringing note as he stared at their face for the first time. It was a face he had dreamed of seeing. Finally, he could put a face to the voice he had heard on the phone, the voice he had been falling in love with. 

He must have been staring too long, MC giggled nervously flashing a smile. Their laughter rang out like church bells on a wedding day. Hyun ushered them in, and as the day passed his attraction bloomed into love. 

He should’ve kissed them that night on the roof. He sat there, laid out his whole life story, and turned back to them, grinning as he waited for the rush, for MC to run away. MC almost reached for his hand then, but pulled away, waiting for Zen to make the first move, letting him decide how far he wanted to go. He tried to grab their hand, but his arm seized as he sighed, deciding instead to send them home. Love that’s rushed isn’t love at all, he tried to tell himself. 

All he wanted to do as he closed the door behind them was open it again, drag MC back into his apartment by the wrist and kiss the ever-loving shit out of them, telling them that he loved them. He leaned back against the door, sliding down as he heard the car pull away. He shouldn’t have sent them away. He should’ve let them stay- he would’ve slept on the couch. He wanted to hold them in his arms and kiss their forehead. He wanted to wake them up in the morning with a hot breakfast and hotter coffee and take them on dates to his favorite restaurant. He wanted the last thing he saw at night to be their big beautiful eyes, and the first thing in the morning to be their hair. The idea of not being around them for any period of time scared him.

He groaned, and wrapped his arms around himself, chiding himself in his mind for acting like a lovestruck teenager.

* * *

If he had known the next time MC would walk through his threshold would be under such awful circumstances, he would have barred them from his house forever. The door closed behind him as he saw the back of their head bow. One of their arm's reached up to wrap around the other as they walked into the basement apartment. They sat down on the couch, still hugging themself. In his head, a funeral march started, strings playing all flats. As he rounded the couch to look at their face, he saw tears falling, hearing a glockenspiel playing low notes in sync with each drop leaving their eyes. He wanted to be the white knight, he wanted to dry their tears, but in that instant, he was lost. He was scared, though not as much as MC must have been. He wanted to touch them, to comfort them, to tell them everything would be okay, but all he could see was that man’s arms around their throat. He cleared his throat and asked, 

“Can I touch you?” MC looked up and nodded. He sat down on the couch next to them, wrapping his arms around them and pulling them up onto his lap. MC shook in his arms but leaned into his grasp. The sobs wracked their body for a while until their breathing slowed and the shaking stopped. He looked at their face thinking they were asleep, but there they were, looking up at him with those eyes he loved. He smiled to himself and sat up from the couch, asking if they wanted something to drink. They grabbed his wrist and he grinned, blushing. He sat down next to them again, apologizing and telling them that he would never leave them again. They gave a sort of grimace, hugging him. His blush increased tenfold, and his heart seemed to become a bass drum, and he was sure they could hear it too. 

That night passed too slow with MC not even stringing a complete sentence together. It hurt him to see them this way, the realization that he couldn’t help them with this weighed down on his shoulders like hundred-pound weights. After dinner, he asked them to stay with him, to live with him. 

“Be healthy, and stay with me. I’m nervous I’ll lose you. Don’t ever go anywhere alone for the time being.” He was so worried about their safety, bile piled up in his throat and he wanted to vomit. “If- if you suddenly disappear… I’ll just quit the RFA and do nothing but look for you.” They giggled at that, but he continued. “Even if I have to go to Jumin or powerful people and beg, I’ll ask them to help me find you. I- I-” He paused. “I realized this after watching you today. My ego or beliefs don’t matter in protecting someone.” They paused for a moment and said thank you. He sighed, closing his eyes and moving closer to them, placing soft hands on their shoulders as if he was handling a glass bird. on their arms, finally meeting those bright eyes. “ Please know that my biggest fear is you disappearing from my side.” He laughed quietly in spite of himself. “It’s funny… we haven’t known each other for a long time, but the feelings I have for you… are so… special and important.” He smiled at them. “I’m so glad you’re here with me. About my future… my beliefs… my jealousy towards Jumin, and even my family who I didn’t talk to for a long time. I could see all those issues with a straight perspective thanks to your advice and encouragement. I know where I am, and where I have to go. You won’t know even if I explain it. Your small words all piled up and gave me so much strength! Your messages held power, please know that.” He faltered as they lifted their hand to caress his face. “I- I’m sorry if I’m getting too ahead of myself. But- I want to tell you this. I want to let you know what my feelings towards you mean.” 

He gulped and wrapped his arms around them, embracing them and holding them close. “I love you.” He heard a small gasp and continued. “I love you and love only you. I don’t care about our situation. What’s important is my heart that’s pounding right now. Even if we didn’t spend a long time together, even if we just met a few days ago… I know- I know that my feelings are true. I love you with all my heart.” He laughed like a man taking his last breath. “You’re… more beautiful than anyone else in this world.” He pulled away just a little bit and saw their blush, and their eyes averting his. “Please don’t turn your eyes and accept my heart.” He grasped their chin as he smiled at them. They whispered his name breathlessly, but he cut them off. “You don’t need to say anymore.”

He steeled himself, pushing down the butterflies that resided in his stomach since he first saw them three days ago. He slowly touched his lips to theirs, finally doing the deed that he had wanted for days. Their gasp of surprise scared him, but as they leaned into the kiss, he smiled behind it. He pulled away, and smiled, pressing his forehead against theirs. “We can talk about this later, but just be honest with me. Tell me that you share my feelings too.” He groaned, wanting more but still feeling the need to wait. More to reassure himself, he whispered softly, “for now… this is enough. I'm just so grateful I can be with you like this. Don't go anywhere, stay here so I can protect you, my love.” He had to scrunch his own nose at the cheesiness of that line, but their laughter peeled out like chimes on a wedding day. 

“I- I love you too.” He flashed a wide 1000 watt smile, wrapping his arms tighter around them, laughing too. “I- I do. I've thought I've been in love before, that the people who've broken me deserved my love. They pulled back to place their hand on his face. “I was wrong. I- I love you. And I don't think I've ever loved anyone like this.” 

His smile widened, picking them up and spinning them around. “You- is this real?” He asked, listening to their laughter and not quite believing the person who stood in front of him. 

They smiled and nodded as he set them down. “I- I think it is.”

* * *

The next morning when he stepped out of the shower, he heard piano playing coming from the front room. He wrapped his robe around himself and walked out there. He saw MC sitting down at the piano, plucking out a tune. It was a very pretty song, but rusty. He saw them picking it out, pausing, then playing the correct note. He leaned against the doorway, listening to the song. A small smile tugged at his lips as the song rang out, and as it continued he silently crept up behind them. The last note was struck, and he spoke up. 

“I didn’t know you played.” They jumped out of the seat in fear, and he chuckled. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” They turned back and flashed him with a smile.

“Uh, yeah, but I haven’t been able to play for years. I took piano lessons for…” they stopped and counted on their fingers. “12 years? But when I moved out of my parent’s home, I didn’t have a piano anymore.” 

He hugged them. “Well, if you take me up on my offer on moving in, you’ll have one.”

They laughed, grabbing his arms and holding him close. “Well when you put it like that, I might actually do it.” 

He smiled at them, “do you mean it?”

“Well, I was thinking about it, but we haven’t known each other for very long. For all you know, I would be a horrible housemate.”

He kissed their forehead. “Somehow I doubt it.”

They laughed. “I don’t like to interact with people on most days.”

“So, normal?” 

“No, seriously, I lock myself up in my office for days on end and don’t talk to anyone.”  
He nosed his way into their neck. “And what do you do in your office that justifies being locked up for days?”

They groaned. “I’m a professional starving artist.”

“Oh really? Well, I guess we’ll starve together.”

A giggle emerged from their mouth. “Oh, well then I can’t refuse. Maybe with our powers combined, we’ll have two coins to rub together.”

“God, don’t promise me something we’re never going to have.”

* * *

So, maybe things didn’t start the way he had hoped. Jumin may call him a hopeless romantic, but sometimes you just want a storybook ending.

Of course, things don’t always work out that way.

However, he wouldn’t have changed anything for the world. Unlocking the front door and walking into their apartment was something he would never tire of. He always kept his flat clean and somewhat boring. He didn’t care much for “homey” vibes. He justified it on not being in his apartment enough to appreciate the decor.

But walking into the eclectic mess of his and their styles? Walking into their home?

He had reached his coda. His encore. The life of Hyun Ryu, bachelor, chain smoker, and juvenile delinquent was over.

He was so excited for the next movement.

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing this in 2017, so forgive any writing style changes. I've changed from more of a novelist/author tone to a poet ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


End file.
